Thumbtack Study Predicts 2016’s Biggest Wedding Trends

The largest survey of U.S. couples to be married in 2016 finds that couples will spend 20% more on wedding services this year, or $12,189 on average nationwide. Weddings will feature formal and intimate dinners, subtler personalizations, and interactive mementos like social-media friendly cinematic highlight videos.

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. — February 3, 2016 —Thumbtack, an online service that connects consumers with skilled professionals, today released the results of its first annual Thumbtack 2016 Wedding Trends Report. Thumbtack reviewed data from hundreds of thousands of wedding requests to uncover the trends and spending habits of real couples in America.

“This year we’re seeing couples investing up to 20% more to create a memorable, classic affair,” said Ashley Brasier, Wedding Director for Thumbtack. “The reception is the focus of this extra spending, with couples turning away from themed weddings and instead focusing on finer touches like formal plated dinners, lasercut place settings, and bold floral choices.”

Glam beauty — More and more brides are eschewing the “safe” natural and romantic beauty look: there’s been a 75% increase in brides requesting glam hair and makeup, with touches like highlights and contouring and bold lip colors.

Beyond natural — Brides plan to go beyond “born with it” in 2016. The data shows a 70% increase in requests for false eyelashes and airbrushing. There’s been a 15% increase in brides planning to wear a classic veil.

Bright palettes — Popular colors this year include bursts of reds and bright blues, along with pops of yellow as an accent, and gray neutrals to hold it all together. Metallic accents stay popular this year, emphasizing the glam factor.

The Real Cost of Getting Married

Based on average price quoted for wedding essentials for Thumbtack weddings in 2016

National Averages – Costs and Customer Profile

$12,189: The amount the average American couple will spend on essential wedding services in 2016, excluding the venue, dress, and rings, for a wedding with 98 guests on average.

33: Average marrying age of Thumbtack couple

75%: Thumbtack couples who are employed full-time

5%: Thumbtack couples who are students

45%: Thumbtack couples who are homeowners

Top 5 Most and Least Expensive States to Get Married

Top 5 Most Expensive States to Get Married

Connecticut – $17,211

New York – $16,305

District of Columbia – $15,835

Rhode Island – $15,233

Pennsylvania – $14,722

Top 5 Least Expensive States to Get Married

Missouri – $9,031

Nevada – $9,095

Arizona – $9,593

Kentucky – $9,712

Utah – $9,804

Top 25 Most Expensive Metro Areas to Get Married (Wedding Essentials)

New York, NY — $16,077

Philadelphia, PA — $15,434

Pittsburgh, PA — $14,287

Baltimore, MD — $14,261

Providence, RI — $13,990

San Francisco, CA — $13,734

San Jose, CA — $13,418

Cleveland, OH — $13,416

Washington, D.C.-Northern VA — $13,303

Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN — $13,173

New Orleans, LA — $13,089

Boston, MA — $13,028

Miami, FL — $12,923

Los Angeles, CA — $12,709

Chicago, IL — $12,449

Milwaukee, WI — $12,197

Seattle, WA — $12,149

Detroit, MI — $11,819

Memphis, TN — $11,805

Portland, OR — $11,714

Columbus, OH — $11,692

Austin, TX — $11,519

Rochester, NY — $11,472

Charleston, SC — $11,448

Sacramento, CA — $11,349

Regional Differences

Northeast and Mid-Atlantic affairs tend to be more expensive: This higher cost is most often driven by formal dinners and a large number of guests. In New York, 33% of couples request plated dinners. In Washington, D.C., 48% of couples request hors d’oeuvres.

Midwestern states throw the biggest weddings: Weddings are the biggest in Midwestern states like Minnesota and Wisconsin, where over 60% of couples welcome 100+ guests. The smallest weddings are in destination wedding locations like Hawaii, where 43% of couples welcome fewer than 20 guests.

BBQ and Mexican catering vs. Italian and American cuisine: Italian and American food are crowd pleasers at weddings across the country. In fact, there are only two states that would prefer another type of cuisine at weddings – both Kentucky and South Carolina prefer BBQ. Unsurprisingly, Mexican is popular throughout the Southwest, with 43% of couples in New Mexico requesting Mexican food.

Pop music reigns at the reception, but country’s close behind: Wedding guests across the majority of the United States (46 states) prefer pop music, but country is a close second choice in several states, including Texas.

Vermont braids and Southern locks: Brides across the country love a timeless romantic look. Brides in Vermont prefer to accent their look with braids, while brides in most other locales prefer a half-up / half-down look. Long curly hair is especially popular in Southern states like Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi.

Methodology

The Thumbtack 2016 Wedding Trends report captures data gathered from hundreds of thousands of requests for wedding services placed on Thumbtack. Quantitative trends were gathered from answers to questions Thumbtack asks couples to match them with the best service provider. Qualitative trends were gathered from customer and vendor interviews. Pricing data is based on thousands of price quotes provided by vendors to our customers.

About Thumbtack

Thumbtack is the destination for getting things done — from house remodeling to event planning and more. Each year, more than 200,000 skilled professionals across the country service a growing 5 million Thumbtack projects in almost 1,100 unique categories. Thumbtack wedding professionals offer services in 47 categories. Visit Thumbtack to find wedding photographers, wedding planners, wedding officiants, wedding DJs and more.